PESHAWAR: The District and Sessions Judge Peshawar on Tuesday issued notices to 98 losing candidates of 2018 general election, including PML-N’s Amir Muqam and PPP’s Arbab Alamgir and Asma Alamgir for not submitting returns of the election expenses.
The District and Sessions Judge, Muhammad Younas, issued notices on the complaint of the District Election Commissioner Peshawar, Abdul Qadir, for summary trial of the losing candidates.
The District Election Commissioner Peshawar submitted that 98 losing candidates of 2018 general election did not file their returns (election expenses), which is mandatory under section 134 of the Election Act, 2017. The District Election Commissioner Peshawar submitted that under section 134 of the Act, it was mandatory for the losing candidates to submit returns within 30 days after notification of the returned candidates. The complainant, the District Election Commissioner and Returning Officer for the candidates, stated that he issued notices to the losing candidates time and again, but they failed to submit the election returns, which was a crime under section 175 of the Election Act.
Those who failed to submit the returns of the election expenses included PML-N’s Amir Muqam, PPP’s Arbab Alamgir, his wife Asma Alamgir and son Arbab Zarak Khan, Syed Zahir Ali Shah and Ziaullah Afridi, MMA’s Atifur Rehman, ANP’s Hidayatullah Khan and others.
The complainant prayed the court to initiate trial against these candidates section 190 of the Election Act. The crime is punishable for two years and Rs100,000 fine or both Under Section 183 of the Election Act.
PTI ex-MPA awarded for role in SDGs task force
A former adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Arif Yousaf has been awarded for his role in attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Arif Yousaf was elected to the KP Assembly from the provincial metropolis during the 2013 general election. He later served for five years as a convener of the Provincial Task Force on the SDGs.
The Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) recently arranged a conference at the federal capital on the (SGDs) where his role in the task force was acknowledged.
National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser was the chief guest of the event which was attended by members of the national and provincial assemblies.
Asad Qaiser talked of the SGDs importance and how to achieve them. RIPs Executive Director Zaffarullah Khan, MNA Riaz Fatiana, Convener, National Parliamentary Task Force on SGDs, shed light on the attainment of the SDGs.
The PTI former MPA dwelt at the five years performance of the task force related to the SDGs. He talked of the role and importance of the parliament in regard to the SDGs and said MNAs and MPAs had an important role which they could play through the parliament.
Arif Yousaf thanked the RIPs, United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF and the media for their help they extended to him as the SDGs task force head. He received a shield for his performance.